Kaig Lightner, founder of Portland Community Football, a soccer club for low-income kids, says one of his main challenges is helping the kids–many of them Hispanic–deal with bullying. “These are 10-year-olds who get called racist names on the field. We have to work with the kids and help them figure … Read Sport Psychology Tip
How to Focus on The Fun in Youth Sports A sports mom wrote: “My son is 8 years old and has been playing hockey since he was 4. He has been on the “travel” team for two years now… He loves to play but has absolutely no drive to win. … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Why Do Young Athletes Fear Failure? A sports parent asks: “Our 12-year-old son is having challenges in baseball. He is playing not to make mistakes and seems to have lost his aggression and effectiveness. He is also the smallest, youngest kid on the team. What tips might you have for … Read Sport Psychology Tip
How to Encourage Sports Kids to Stay in Sports It’s important for sports parents to drop the sports fan mindset when watching their kids perform, said Bob Katz, a journalist, former sports dad and author of the kids’ book “EZ and the Intangibles” in a recent interview. “We are a … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Why Do Young Athletes Want to Quit Sports? Why do young athletes want to quit sports? We’d love to hear from you… Often, athletes quit sports because of pressures from outside sources, be it parents, coaches, or teammates, but reasons vary. Here’s what some young athletes have told us: These … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Setting Positive Sports Goals For The New Year As a new year begins, you want to help your athlete set appropriate goals for their athletic activities this year. Goal setting is an essential piece of the sports child’s mental game. As Michael Jordan said: “You have to know your goals … Read Sport Psychology Tip